Monday, January 6, 2014

Arctic Blast

I really don't like complaining about the weather. I usually roll with it. But this is pretty ridiculous. Chicago hit a record low for this date this morning, as temperatures plummeted to minus 16 at O'Hare International Airport at 8 a.m. The previous record was minus 14 set in 1988. I don't remember that freeze at all since I was in baby heaven daze - my son had just been born and I had other things to think about I guess. Right now the temperature near me is -14 F. But it's pretty sunny and it's supposed to go all the way up to -9 degress F. Imagine!

Those of you with dogs will love this. My little pup was afraid to go out in the backyard because of all the snow, which was over a foot. She yearned to go out there - I could tell - but she stayed close to me, near the door. We were both getting a little bit of cabin fever. I try not to walk her on the streets where there's so much salt to irritate her paws and the sidewalks are just too full of snow now for us to manuever well (okay, I'm really afraid of falling). When our other dog was alive he would blaze the trail in the back and she would follow behind in his paw prints.

Last week, my husband was kind enough to shovel a path for me to get to the bird feeders. On Saturday, when it hadn't gotten quite so cold yet, I went out and shoveled a series of paths in the back yard so she could run around a little. She had the best time and didn't have to venture into the far reaches of the yard, the paths were close to the house and just long enough for her to run around like a crazy puppy at least 5-6 times then come inside, dry off and rest - then whine to go out and do it again in 1/2 an hour. Today it was too cold - she went out for about 1 minute to pee then she turned around and ran inside. FYI - when she comes inside I always dry off her paws with a soft towel and later apply lotion to the pads. Cesar said to do this a couple of times a day, just as we rub lotion on our hands to keep them from drying and cracking.

Gopher tunnels? No, puppy tunnels!

If the temps stay cold at least she'll have someplace to run around for awhile.

I just peeked outside and even though I have errands to do I decided to stay in today. If you placed an order for a book or pattern on my website over the weekend, sorry, it will not go out today or tomorrow and may take a little longer to arrive.

Maybe I'll work on some blocks.

This one, titled Cabin Fever, perhaps?

But I'm leaning toward this one because it looks like it would be more fun.

15 comments:

I feel so bad for everyone trying to cope with the cold while we on the West Coast are basking in 6 to 8 degrees Celsius. I have family in the eastern provinces where it is minus 50 C. I think that is around -58F.I keep looking at your lovely DJ blocks Kathleen and they make me want to start my own DJ but have to finish a few other projects first. Hope the weather improves soon in the meantime stay warm.

Amazing all that cold. Here we have temperatures about 9C, which is pretty warm for this time of the year. Normally it would be freezing and snowing a little bit. Take care of yourself, and I love your little dog with her dogsweather. Caro from the Netherlands

Brrr! I don't hink I've ever been in temperatures that cold. Poor little dog, I guess I wouldn't want to go outdoors to the loo either! I live in Normandy and as Caro says, it's quite mild here too although we've had a lot of gale force winds and heavy rain. If it's not one thing it's another!

You could be right here in Maniboba. We're usually tough but this is enough, even no wind would be great . Your pup would love our yard we too do the tunnel thing, and they all love them. They can't help but show how grateful they are.

I just wondered what lotion you use , I'm always concerned when I see them licking their pads so I don't use one ,and I should I know.Stay warm, happy sewing.

I remember some of those temps from when I lived in one of the northern suburbs of Chicago. One time we debated on going into Chicago for the family Christmas eve get together, it was so cold with a -25 wind chill and everyone was having car problems. Same thing the year I was pregnant with my youngest daughter,-25 and we debated the Christmas eve thing again because we didn't want to chance getting stranded with me being 5 1/2 months along. But the Christmas two years before that, my son's first Christmas, it was 65 degrees on Christmas day! Weather around Chicago is so unpredictable.

I also lived in South Dakota in the late 70's. One winter we had temps well below freezing to -25 for over a month. When it finally got to be 33 degrees on day, it felt like spring had come. Hang in there, one thing about Chicago weather, you can count on it changing quickly.

Wow! That is cold...we're having a heat wave at 34 but your weather is heading this way. Love the photos of your cute little furry one. The snow must look like mountains to her. Your Dear Jane blocks are lovely. It's a good time to work inside!!! :)))

Trying to stay warm here in South Dakota...just north of Sioux Falls. It's warmer today, hey, it's balmy compared to yesterday! Minus 4 and I think we are going to climb some more! Wheeeeee! I will turn a (warm) cheek away from the window and sew to my heart's content. Having my favorite blogs to read helps ward off Cabin Fever too. Just had to check in on you to see how you were doing!

i just found your blog and yahoo group. i am on block one of my dear jane journey.i am a slow sower due to surgery on my wrist a few months ago but i really want to sew again.one bite at a time i can eat an elephant.lolkathleen in australia

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I'm a quilt designer and author of four quilting books for Martingale & Co. I love making small quilts with an antique look and find inspiration in quilts from the past and the women who made them.
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